No immediate arrest for Marijuana Smoking: NYC Mayor

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio this weekend told the police officials not to arrest people who are found smoking marijuana in public place.

According to a City hall aide, the Mayor made it clear that ending the arrests of public marijuana smoking is one of the changes he wants to bring.

Currently, a person, if found smoking in public places is being arrested and get summon if spotted possessing even small amounts of marijuana.

After his meeting with Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance on May 15, the Mayor had announced about marijuana enforcement.

While De Blasio publicly called on NYPD to come up with a plan to make changes to its marijuana enforcement policies in the next month, Vance said he would end prosecution of marijuana possession and smoking cases from August 1.

The move seems like another step towards New York legalizing marijuana for recreational

NYDP Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Phil Walzak said that the NYDP, following the Mayor’s request, has already begun a working group to evaluate its marijuana enforcement procedures. Besides, the NYDP will present its recommendations within 30 days, he added.

“The working group is reviewing possession and public smoking of marijuana to ensure enforcement is consistent with the values of fairness and trust, while also promoting public safety and addressing community concerns,” Walzak said.

Police had arrested people for smoking or possessing small amounts of marijuana a little more than 5,500 times in Manhattan last year.

Marijuana is a Schedule I drug under federal law and is illegal. Some states, like New York, have decriminalized marijuana, making it a violation and not a crime to possess small amounts of cannabis.

The New York law allows people for medical marijuana; however, it has put a restriction on smoking the cannabis.